중앙데일리

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to meet Buriram United at AFC

Nov 26,2018

Korean pro football champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will meet the reigning Thai league winners in the group stage of next year’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.

In a draw held in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, Jeonbuk was placed with Buriram United, the Thai League 1 champions, as well as the domestic cup winners from Japan and China in Group G. The Japanese and Chinese teams have yet to be determined.

Jeonbuk, representing Korea’s K League 1, are two-time AFC Champions League (ACL) winners, having claimed the continental title in 2006 and 2016. Jeobuk faced Buriram in the round of 16 at this year’s ACL and advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-3 aggregate win.

Korea has 3.5 slots for the premier Asian club tournament, with the top two teams from the K League 1 and the winners of the FA Cup advancing directly to the group stage. The third-place team in the K League 1 has to win a playoff to join them.

While Jeonbuk has already clinched the top position in the K League 1, the battle for the second and third spots is going down to the wire. With two matches remaining, Gyeongnam FC secured second in the league table with 18 wins, 10 draws and nine losses, totalling 64 points.

Ulsan is also in the Korean FA Cup final with Daegu FC. If Ulsan claims the FA Cup title, then the fourth-place team in the K League 1 will be given an ACL playoff spot.